I was given this transcript of an entry from the Rent Book of the Duke of Argyll:
The South Division of the farm of Upper Ranachan + 10\S stg for each goat kept to perform 3 days service of 1 man and 1 horse yearly. If required seed time and harvest excepted.
Memorial stated 21/8/1810 for Andrew Wylie son of the deceased John Wylie late tenant of Ranachan. In this Memorial he requests that his son Andrew’s name be inserted as a partner with him in the tack from 1811 which he wishes.
Petition dated 7 October 1812 b Andrew Wyllie for an abatement of rent, he says he offered £80 Rather than be deprived of the possession he had held for 25 years as heir to his father.
1) I understand 10\S stg means 10 shillings sterling – this seems a large amount per goat for c1800.
In the last paragraph he offers £80 Rather than be deprived of the possession he had held for 25 years (as heir to his father). This seems like a huge amount of money for 1812.
2) What would their home have been like in the second half of the eighteenth century? The earliest date I have for John Wylie is his marriage in 1759 and he was living at Ranachan at that time. Was a tacksman’s home similar to that of his tenants, or would he have lived in a home with a few more comforts?
3) What animals is he likely to have had apart from the goats?
4) I understand that the Duke of Argyll brought lowlanders to his estates. Do surnames give any clue as to whether the family is a highland one, or from the lowlands? (Wylie, Langlands and Galbreath are the ones I am interested in)
Any information or comments would be very much appreciated – I am trying to write up my family tree at the moment.
Thanks,
Maggie